Hitchhiking to Pangong Tso and Return to Leh

July 15, 2017

This article is in continuation with the previous article, a travelogue by Komal detailing her first Solo trip to Ladakh. This part details how she reached hitchhiking to Pangong Tso from Nubra Valley. If you are planning a trip to Ladakh on a budget, then the information below will be of help.

I have broken the travelogue down in 4 pages, links to which are provided below.

Day 8 (Friday) – Hitchhiking to Pangong Lake. Stay at Gongma homestay at Spangmik village

I had decided to take a taxi back to Leh and then take the bus on Saturday morning to Pangong Lake. As there are no local buses or taxis to Pangong Lake from Nubra Valley. There were three co-homestay male guests from Amravathi, who agreed to give me a lift till Pangong Lake. It really knocked a day off travel from my list. We visited Maitreya Buddha on the way opposite the Diskit monastery which I had skipped two days before. Nothing remarkable about it. The drive takes a different route from Agham village going along Shyok river to Pangong Lake.

Agham Shyok road is really patchy and gravelly. The road does not exist in patches actually!! It becomes better from Durbuk village onward.

On the way when we reached a small camp where ubiquitous Maggi and tea was served, my co-passengers found a bag missing so they had to return to Hunder.. They facilitated request to other tourists. They approached a family all three men together, the family promptly rejected their request expectedly! They met a known driver whose car had space and I again requested the husband and wife who readily agreed to take me with them since I was travelling alone! They had two nice children and the journey was very pleasant among all the hitch hiking I did. They were from Delhi and near to my place. After a long time I met a silent husband who did not utter a single word to berate or make fun of his wife! And also tolerated all my political nonsense!!

On the way when we reached a small camp where ubiquitous Maggi and tea was served, my co-passengers found a bag missing so they had to return to Hunder.. They facilitated request to other tourists. They approached a family all three men together, the family promptly rejected their request expectedly! They met a known driver whose car had space and I again requested the husband and wife who readily agreed to take me with them since I was travelling alone! They had two nice children and the journey was very pleasant among all the hitch hiking I did. They were from Delhi and near to my place. After a long time I met a silent husband who did not utter a single word to berate or make fun of his wife! And also tolerated all my political nonsense!!

The host at Gongma was the least friendly I had met till now. May be my expectations had become really high after being with such warm hosts earlier.I did not like my room somehow. The switch of electric bulb was too closely located near the bulb on the low ceiling. A family from Bombay who were Gujaratis staying at the same homestay too became friendly. They were the only people in whole of Ladakh who wanted to know my caste which I refused stubbornly.

Electricity all over Nubra Valley and Pangong Lake is typically available from 7 or 8 pm to 11 pm. So all charging of electronics needs to be planned like that.

Day 9 (Sat) – Hitchhiked from Pangong Lake to Leh via Changla

The breakfast was of local dish Skue made by my host (Rs.100). It has small pieces of kneaded wheat dough, potatoes and vegetables all cooked together as a stew. Then walked up the lake with my book planning to spend few hours of walking and reading there. But my plans came to nought as the weather played spoilsport. It soon became cloudy and weepy. The town became desolate as all the tourists leave typically by 10 am. Locals are too busy organizing for next tourists’ influx in the afternoon.

The village has only 10 households but the land is leased to commercial camp providers who are typically from Leh for five months. I felt so cold and desolate in that beautiful landscaped land that I decided to try my luck getting a hitchhike to Leh. My confidence has been running high. I thought to take a chance as otherwise I can always come back to the same homestay. The return bus to Leh is available only on Sunday and Monday early mornings from Spangmik. I was just plain lucky in getting the ride back. There were hardly any tourist vehicles. After half an hour wait a couple from Bombay readily agreed to accommodate a lone woman on the road. We had a long discussion about how ‘modern’ education is alienating Ladakhi from their culture, history as well as their geography. Their textbooks has nothing which reflects their way of life whether farming, seasons, clothes or social structures.

The best thing about hitchhiking is that I could explore different routes to Pangong Lake which I would not if travelling from public transport. This route takes a turn at Durbuk Village and passes through Changla pass which I found personally more diversely beautiful than Khardungla. The vehicle passed through pristine snow and I finally took a customary photograph of myself with the stone declaring the peak of the pass.The route passes through Kharu, Thiksey and Shey Palace. They dropped me at Choklamsar from where I took a shared taxi for Rs.20 to reach the Leh city Prayer wheels and walked to the Main market.

I decided to cycle to Shey Palace next day. Hired a mountain cycle for Rs.800 from Adventure Ibex for next day as they don’t open before 8-9 am on a given day.They also run tourists up to Khardungla top in a vehicle and people cycle back to Leh cityeveryday.

Day 10 – (Sunday) Stay at Leh – Cycled to Shey Palace

I made a local friend along with whom I cycled from the city to Shey Palace via the Army camp, Airport, Chuschot village apparently the largest village in Asia. It was a pleasant ride since it was drizzling that day. And turned to take a shortcut from Shashi village. We crossed a stream while holding our cycles high as the bridge was damaged. Reached Shey palace early afternoon. Spent half an hour climbing up the Palace and then cycled back. The last 5-7 kilometres were a drag for me as it was all uphill. From the petrol pump at the entrance of the Leh city, I dragged the cycle from Old road to the main market almost 2 kilometres in about 50 minutes, much more time if I had just walked up without the cycle!! A word of thanks to my Ladakhi friend, who cycled despite his Ramzan fast as he felt it would be ‘dhokha’ betrayal, if he had not come with me as I had given him choice not to cycle.

Finally reached Ibex Adventure and collapsed. They gave me tea and chatted for an hour. The guy there spent time talked about Buddhism integration with Mon religion and how Indian tourists litter Ladakh. He also declared me completely fit for trekking in Ladakh. It was really heartening to hear that as I took this trip just two months after an illness where I had difficulties even turning around in the bed and was completely confined to the house.

Day 11 – Last day at Leh –Thiksey monastery

I had lavish breakfast at Lamayuru Restaurant to treat myself – Sandwich, Spinach Omelet, Hash Brown Potatoes, and Mint Tea – all for Rs. 180.The food at Lamayuru restaurant is good if you stick to regular dishes.

The Himachal Transport Office on Fort road is just few shops away from the restaurant. It was closed. It opens up only in the month of July when they resume tourist bus services. Then walked down to the bus stand from the main market. The bus ticket to Keylong is 539. You will get one rupee back, if you ask for it! I got a provisional ticket. They give the proper electronic ticket next day as the journey date can be printed on the actual day of travel and not a day before it. The bus starts at 5 am. They asked to report by 4.30 am. If you buy the ticket early, your chances of claiming a better seat are more.

Then boarded a shared taxi for Rs. 20 to Choklamsar and then another Rs.20 to shared taxi to Thiksey Palace. As I walked up the monastery, I sat in between to rest and read. I met an 80-year-old Nepali lama who too walked up the monastery. The entrance ticket is Rs.30.It was the biggest monastery I had visited till now. As I chatted with a Lama, he told me about different sects of Mahayana Buddhism being practised in Ladakh. Spent an hour reading in front of the old library at the top of Gompa. Many people asked if the library is open may be assuming I was the caretaker or regular reader there!

Then got a ‘public’ lift by monastery mini-bus to Choklamsar and then again shared taxi (Rs.20) to Leh city which drops till Prayer Wheels.

Since I had time, I chatted with local shopkeepers. Amochi from Amritsar wanted to repair my torn shoes since it did not match my rest of the dress. Then met an old woman selling woollen socks and cap in a shop. She informed me that it all comes from Nepal. I shared with her one of my bananas and in return I received a flying kiss!! I was on cloud nine. The Dolma knick-knack shop is being run by a woman from Bhutan and we chatted generally about her life. All the jewellery being sold in Lehcomes from Bhutan. She showed me her dress and how it was different from LadakhiGoncha.

Then bought some books on Ladakh from the Ladakh Bookshop in the Main market on first floor of the main market. Actually it would have enhanced the experience further, if I had bought them during the initial days of my visit.

Srinagar is OK to go right now and your plan looks good too except for 1st August. It all depends on how fast you can arrange your permits but assume that it won’t be any earlier than 11 AM; in which case your journey to Nubra valley may become a bit rushed. How are you planning to travel to these places from Leh?